Pregnancy - small for dates Flashcards
What are the 2 primary causes of a small baby ?
- Pre-term birth (so normal for their gestation, its just that they are young)
- Small for gestational age (SGA)
Define what pre-term delivery is and the 3 sub-classifications of it
Defined as delivery between 24 & 36+6 weeks:
- Extreme preterm: 24 – 27+6 weeks
- Very preterm: 28 – 31+6 weeks
- Moderate to late preterm: 32 – 36+6 weeks
What happens to the survival rate of pre-term pregnancies as they decrease in prematurity i.e. get older
- Survival rate increases the less premature they are
- Beyond 32 weeks >95% survival
List the causes of pre-term delivery
- Infection
- ‘Over distension’; Multiple pregnancy, polyhyraminos
- Vascular; Placental abruption
- Intercurrent illness; Pyelonephritis / UTI, Appendicitis, Pneumonia
- Cervical incompetence - cervix dilates before pregnancy has reached term
- Idiopathic (unknown)
List the risk factors for pre-term birth and highlight the 2 main ones to know about
- Previous Pre-term labour (20% risk X1; 40% X2))
- Multiple (50% risk)
- Uterine anomalies
- Age (teenagers)
- Parity (=0 or >5)
- Ethnicity
- Poor socio-economic status
- Smoking
- Drugs (especially cocaine)
- Low BMI (<20)
what are the 4 main ways pre-term labour presents ?
- 25% planned caesarean section - Severe pre-eclampsia, kidney disease or poor fetal development.
- 20% premature rupture of membranes (PROM)
- 25% emergency event - Placental abruption, infection, eclampsia
- 40% cause unknown
What are the symptoms suggestive of pre-term labour ?
- Contractions
- Rupture of membranes (can happen a fair bit before labour starts)
- Brownish or blood tinged mucus discharge
How is PROM diagnosed ?
- 1st line = Speculum exammination - if amniotic fluid pooling seen offer management, if none seen then:
- 2nd line = Consider performing insulin like growth factor binding protein-1 test or placental alpha-microglobulin test of vaginal fluid
If both +ve then give antibiotics, if only insulin or placental alpha test +ve then consider their clinical condition & if neither +ve then reassure PROM is unlikely
If PROM suspected and labour has already been established, should you carry out the diagnostic tests for PROM?
No
What is the management of PROM?
- 80% of PROM will initiate labour but in 20% it will not & may take a while before labour starts
- If labour has initiated then management is that of pre-term labour
- If labour does not initiate then there is now a risk of developing infection (due to ceale being broken) ==> antibiotics are given
What antibiotics are given for PROM when labour has not initiated ?
- 1st line = erythromycin (max 10 days until labour established)
- 2nd line = penicillin (if erythro not tolerated)
What is the management options for cervical incompentence ?
- For women between 16 to 27+6 weeks with a dilated & exposed, unruptured fetal membranes a rescue cervical cerclage (cervical stitch) can be done
- Contraindicated if signs of infection, active vaginal bleeding or uterine contractions
Does initiations of contractions always lead to pre-term labour ?
No - in 50% of cases contractions cease spontaneously & treating the cause e.g. pylonephritis may make it cease
What is the management of pre-term labour ?
Treat underlying cause if possible e.g. pylonephritis and it may cease
Give glucocortiocosteroids - for all at risk of iatrogenic or spontaneous pre-term birth between 24 & 34+6 weeks and consider for suspected or established pre-term labour, those having elective pre-term birth or who have prelabour PROM between 24 & 35+6 weeks (note need roughly 24hrs to work prior to the actual delivery)
Tocolytics (anti-contraction drugs) - for pregnancy with intact membranes & are in suspected or diagnosed preterm labour:
- 1st line = nifedipine
- 2nd line = oxytocin receptor antagnosit e.g. atosiban if nifedipine contraindicated
IV Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) - for neuroptoection of baby when in established pre-term labour or having a planned one within 24hrs between 24 & 33+6 weeks
When is use of nifedipine contraindicated for pre-term labour ?
If the women has heart disease